We Are All Brothers. Really. I Mean Really.

I felt compelled to share this experience today of all days because I have been engaging in a pseudo-debate with a fundamentalist Christian woman who felt the need to bring evolution into our conversation on same-sex marriage and abortion. I will spare you all the details for now.  The pertinent statement she made was "a scientist says we are born from monkeys and you believe them." Well, not exactly, and I'm very sorry she misunderstood her science lessons. The theory states that humans and apes have a common ancestor. We did not evolve from monkeys; we evolved from the same animal monkeys evolved from. I know that this distinction doesn't make any difference to our Christian friend, but it is a very important distinction to make. Our Christian friend probably also fails to understand the concept of a scientific theory, using such ignorant statements as "X is just a theory," but her failure to understand these things is not my point, so I will move on with my tale.

A few years back, I had been working in my garden, and was enjoying a meditative moment of stillness with sun on my skin and the songs of birds in my ears, when I began to stroke a blade of spider grass that was growing next to the place I was sitting on the Earth. As I touched this simple blade of grass that could easily have been ignored under my feet as I walked past, I began thinking about my physical relation to everything that surrounded me. It struck me all at once, in a moment of deep intuitive understanding, that I and this blade of grass are kin; not in some fluffy new-age metaphorical sense, but in a real, physical, evolutionary sense. Once upon a time, long ago, or perhaps not so long ago, that blade of grass and I had a common mother. This realization struck me not simply as a fact, an idea in my mind, but rather as something deeper that rocked me at the core of my being.  It is still to this day one of the most intense spiritual experiences of my life.

It truly boggles my mind how people in their pretentious need to be "greater than" can miss the most intensely intimate knowledge of the universe. We are all brothers: not metaphorically, but ACTUALLY. As death sits waiting for us all at the end of our lives, causing us to feel this sense of urgency and loneliness in the knowledge that we each die alone, some people have to believe it won't really end, completely ignoring the incredible beauty we share: we are all together in this. We are all brothers. We are all made of stardust. We are all born, and we all die, perhaps temporally apart from one another, but in actuality we share death with everyone and everything around us... even the stars and the Earth and the sun, someday. We really, physically are brothers, all of us. That beautiful flowering tree out there in my yard is really, factually, my cousin. I cannot imagine a heaven more beautiful, or comforting, than that.

Imbolc

The festival of Imbolc occurs on February 2nd.  This date is near to astrological 15° Aquarius: the precise cross-quarter time between the Winter Solstice and the Vernal Equinox.  The etymology of Imbolc refers either to old Irish i mbolc meaning "in the belly" referring to pregnant ewes, or oimelc, refering to the ewes' resulting lactation.  The festival is linked in various Indo-European cultures to fertility, ploughing fields, hearth fires, and home purification.  Imbolc is the time of year when we are gifted with the promise of spring: the first green sprouts are coming up from the ground, livestock are giving birth, and the days are becoming noticeably longer.

Imbolc is a time of growing potential.  It is is the freshly plowed field which could be sown with any crop.  It is fresh milk feeding offspring, and ready to be turned to cheese or left to go sour.  It is a time of raw fertility, a fertility waiting to be impregnated with possibilities.  Imbolc is like that moment in the Two Powers meditation when Chaos and Order have merged and are waiting in a state of raw power at our cores.

As modern Pagans, we can honor the essence of Imbolc by tending our hearths, spring cleaning, preparing garden plots, and engaging in arts and crafts.  This would also be a good time to consider choices we might make for the coming year, and what we wish to sow into our lives come spring.

Ritual Is Structure

Merriam Webster Online defines the word ritual in several ways.  First, as an adjective, ritual means "relating to rites or a ritual; ceremonial", "according to religious law", and "done in accordance with social custom or normal protocol".  As a noun, ritual is defined as "the established form for a ceremony; specifically the order of words prescribed for a religious ceremony", "ritual observance; specifically: a system of rites", "a ceremonial act or action", and "an act or series of acts regularly repeated in a set precise manner". Although the adjective ritual can enhance our understanding of the noun, the focus of this writing is this thing that we do as Pagans and as religious people: ritual. Therefore, for the purpose of this discussion it is clear that the word ritual is a noun, as illustrated by phrases such as 'Pagan ritual' and 'performing a ritual'. Ritual, then, is of an "established form", "a system of rites", and a "series of acts regularly repeated in a set precise manner". Ritual is, by its very nature, a repetitive act.

It is disheartening to see ritual being treated so disrespectfully within the Pagan community. Individuals get together with very little prior planning, say a few words, run amok, and eat; and while running amok is certainly part of the revelry of certain Deities, it is disrespectful to others, and generally inhospitable to participants who have taken their time to attend.  Attendees fail to participate in what has become core to Pagan ritual practice in the modern day: the Potluck Feast.  Some groups attempt to excuse blatant extraneous tardiness with what has become a cliche in the community: "We run on Pagan Standard Time".  Or they excuse their lack of preparation by claiming that they are "deviating from ritual structure".  The simple fact of the matter: ritual IS structure.  You cannot deviate from structure and still call what you do a ritual, because ritual is an "established form", a "system of rites".  To deviate from ritual structure is to deviate from ritual altogether.  To gather under this pretense is a deception, because a "get-together", even one that potentially contains some religious elements, is not a ritual.

Some people in the community won't appreciate this sentiment, and that is fine. They can continue holding their get-togethers and call them whatever they want.  However, some of us do care.  Some of us want the rituals we attend to have quality.  Some of us want the rituals we host to be well-received, and welcome guests back again and again.  But more importantly, as Pagan people who understand the basic tenets of magical practice, we know that setting a mood and giving our minds specific symbols will help us focus on the work at hand. Creating consistency in ritual practice assists all participants in connecting to the ritual practice.  In this writing, I will attempt to describe a very basic ritual form and the essential elements of Pagan ritual.

First and foremost, structure means structure.  The primary structural gauge we have in our society is time.  In order to properly begin, execute, and end a ritual, the participants must be there on time and have themselves and their materials ready.  Most people today lead very busy lives; they have jobs, families, homes to care for, and often the nature of their jobs requires them to spend extra time exercising and preparing special diets.  Time is extremely valuable.  Asking people to show up for a ritual at 3pm and then not beginning the ritual until 5:30 is extremely disrespectful of participants' time.  Likewise, showing up late on a regular basis shows a lack of respect for the time and effort of those preparing the ritual.  We show our hospitality and appreciation of one another by honoring the time we set aside to spend together and with Spirit.

The most basic structure of ritual itself is the same basic structure of any other event: it has a beginning, a middle, and an end.  The simplest way to create a ritual structure is to begin and end the ritual in the same way every time.  In Wicca, beginning the ritual usually consists of consecrating the altar, casting the circle, and calling the Deities.  In ADF Druidry, an offering is made to the Outdwellers, and then we enter the ritual space. A consistent beginning, be it consecration of an altar, creation of ritual space, a meditation, or even a simple chant will signal the beginning of the ritual to everyone present, joining them in ritual participation and creating a group mind.  Similarly, ending the ritual with a regular action, such as deconstruction of ritual space, a closing meditation, or a closing prayer will signal to the individuals that they are re-entering normal space and time, normal daily life.  This along with a ritual feast will help ground participants, which most of us will agree is essential for psychic and physical safety.  Beginning and ending a ritual the same way every time will not only facilitate focus on the ritual, it can also create structure while allowing the middle portion of the ritual to remain adaptable to different ritual occasions such as high days or rites of passage.

Effective Pagan ritual takes a similar form, whether the purpose of the ritual is to commune with Spirit or to perform a magical act.  First, participants ground and center themselves so they will be focused on the ritual purpose.  Then, energy is raised until it reaches a peak, when the energy is released toward the ritual purpose.  After raising and releasing energy, participants ground excess energy and center themselves again. A Feast is traditional after ritual, which also facilitates grounding.  If the energy in a well-balanced ritual were graphed, it would look like a bell curve.

Here is an example of a simple devotional ritual:
* Opening prayer
* Grounding & centering meditation
* Statement of purpose (We are offering X to Spirit)
* Chant to Spirit; invite or invoke spirit
* Offerings to Spirit
* Grounding and centering
* Closing prayer
* Feast

In ADF ritual, we "open the gates to the other worlds" which is the high point of ritual. When " the gates to the other worlds are closed", the power is released.
In Wicca, a cone of power is created for magical use, and is released by the Priestess or Priest toward a predetermined goal.

I go through this same energy raising and energy releasing process when I practice core shamanism:
* Invite the Spirits
* Drumming to raise energy upon which to travel
* Ride the sound of the drum, & return beat
* Journal the messages I received
* Prayer of thanks
* Feast

It isn't difficult to create an effective ritual.  It only requires a regular beginning and end, a balanced middle, and participants who are willing to show up on time.  The Goddesses and Gods, our Ancestors, the Spirits of Nature, and our brethren deserve ritual that hasn't been thrown together at the last minute.  They deserve punctuality.  They deserve thoughtfulness and mindfulness.  If you are inviting and honoring the Guardians of the Four Quarters, they deserve to be called by name, not simply acknowledged in a half-hearted manner because "everyone in the circle came from a different direction."  I urge you all to accept no more excuses for not calling the quarters in traditions that do such, or not cleansing the ritual space according to tradition, or not showing up on time and calling THAT a tradition! EXPECT quality ritual! DEMAND quality ritual! Your Gods deserve nothing less! YOU deserve nothing less!

And you know what? *I* deserve nothing less.

Imbolc Ritual - January 29, 2012

I attended the Sierra Madrone Grove Imbolc Ritual at 4pm on Sunday, January 29th, 2012 at the Unitarian Univarsalist Society of Sacramento with my Grove. There were several new people present for the ritual, but I knew most of them from other places in my life. We began the ritual by giving an offering to the outdwellers and processing into the ritual space.

Betula lead the ritual, Sean called upon inspiration, Lindsey performed the offerings, and I called to the Earth Mother. Our Deity of the occasion was Brighid. She was also called on as the spirit of inspiration. Brighid is a Patroness of a number of people in our Grove, so I felt her presence strongly. Manannan MacLir was called on to be our Gatekeeper. I personally called on Asclepius to help heal my friend's new premature baby so he will be healthy and fine. We also had a ceremonial lighting of candles for those of us who were voted onto the Sierra Madrone Grove Board of Directors.

Many previous Imbolc rituals we have had were accompanied by intense winds and other forms of inclement weather. It was surprising to experience such a calm, sunny day for Imbolc. We enjoyed the weather as it was, and some of us prayed for rain in spring. I have hope that the calm weather during this week is indeed an omen of stronger weather before the heat of summer arrives.

Betula read the omen, and we partook of the Waters of Life. The three Ogam drawn for the omen were ceirt/onn/idad: misfortune, movement, & vision. I see our Grove growing, and there are challenges that come along with growth. If nothing ever challenges us, we do not grow to our potential. We will grow, though; we have been blessed with movement and vision. We can see ways to meet the challenges ahead, and grow ever stronger. So yes, even misfortune can be a gift of the Kindred. It keeps us on our toes.

After ritual, we enjoyed a delicious feast. There were some exceptional sheep's milk and goat's milk cheeses and Fey wine made of milk and spices.

The Virtue of Hospitality

The Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary definition of hospitality is "hospitable treatment, reception, or disposition."  Definitions of hospitable listed are "given to generous and cordial reception of guests", "promising or suggesting generous and cordial welcome", "offering a pleasant or sustaining environment", and "readily receptive."  To summarize the definitions for the purpose of practicing this virtue in daily life, hospitality is: first, the act of having a receptive and pleasant disposition toward others, second, the act of offering generous and cordial invitation to guests, and third, offering the most comfortable and welcome setting to guests.

Hospitality is an ADF virtue because we believe in 'ghosti': we should give so that we may receive.  Ghosti urges us to be pleasant, generous, and cordial both as hosts and as guests to all our kin and to the Kindred.

Hospitality can be practiced in a formal way, such as having guests over to your home.  A clean, attractive, comfortable environment, delicious food and drink, and enjoyable conversation show hospitality to guests.  This form of hospitality may even begin before guests arrive at the doorstep, through a welcoming invitation.  But hospitality is more than simply inviting guests over and showing them a good time.  The root of hospitality is being kind and generous toward other people.  Keeping and encouraging a pleasant disposition is key to this virtue.  Being a pleasant person to meet and get to know, and being a gracious guest, is the first step in offering hospitality to others.  Being a person others can be comfortable around enables them to be receptive to a warm and pleasant welcome.  Maintaining a pleasant disposition also allows a person to be more receptive to the needs and desires of their guests so a more hospitable environment can then be offered.  But more than that, we cannot always invite someone over to experience the comforts of our homes.  Sometimes the only pleasantries we have to offer are a smile, a kind word, a pat on the shoulder, a hug.  Guests should not only feel welcome in our homes, they should feel welcome in our lives.  Making people feel welcome in our presence is the essence of hospitality.